Dyslexia delays a child's ability to read

Donya Betancourt, Pediatrician, drdonya@hotmail.com

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children, but what exactly is it?

Dyslexia is an impairment in the brain's ability to translate written images received from the eyes into meaningful language. It is also called a reading disability.

Dyslexia is characterized by a delay in a child's ability to read. Most children are ready to learn reading by the age of six, but children with dyslexia often can't grasp the basics of reading in first or even second grade. A learning disability is a condition that produces a gap between someone's ability and their performance.

Dyslexia occurs in children with normal vision and normal intelligence. Although the cause seems to be a malfunction in certain areas of the brain concerned with language, there is frequently a family history of language disorders.

Children with dyslexia commonly have problems processing and understanding what they hear. They may have difficulty with rapid instructions, more than one command at a time or remembering the sequence of things.

Reversals of letters (b for d) and a reversal of words (saw for was) are common among children who have dyslexia. Reversals are common for children under age six who don't have dyslexia, but with dyslexia, the reversals persist.

I would suggest before a child's diagnosis is made, consult with a doctor and have the child undergo vision, hearing and neurological examinations to see whether another disorder is causing the child's poor reading ability.

Having the child take a set of educational tests, which process and analyze the child's reading skills, should also be done.

Even though dyslexic children have normal intelligence, reading is a basic skill to most other school subjects, and a child who has dyslexia is therefore at a great disadvantage in most classes and may have trouble learning.

The main concern is if the child is left untreated. Dyslexia can lead to low self-esteem, behavioral problems, delinquency, aggression and withdrawal or alienation from friends, parents and teachers.

Some problems with dyslexia are more severe than others. Some children have a relatively mild form of dyslexia, but others have a more severe form.

There is still no known way to correct the underlying brain malfunction that causes this reading disability. Treatment is by remedial education.

Emotional support and opportunities for achievement in activities that do not involve reading are important for children with dyslexia.

At home, parents can provide a quiet organized place for their child to study, and suggest a study time. Also, make sure the child gets enough rest, good nutrition and family support through outings and activities. The most important thing parents can do is stay in close contact with their child's teachers so that they are fully aware of their child's situation and the parents and teachers can reinforce one another's actions.

Teachers may use techniques involving hearing, vision and touch to improve reading skills. The most important teaching approach may be frequent instruction by a reading specialist who uses multisensory methods of teaching.

If the child has a severe reading disability, tutoring may involve several individual or small-group sessions each week, and progress may be slow.

A child with severe dyslexia may never be able to read well and may need training for vocations that do not require good reading skills. Children with milder forms of dyslexia often eventually learn to read well enough to succeed in school. So be supportive, be sure to provide love and support his or her talents and strengths.

Explain to the child what dyslexia is and that it is not a failure on his or her part. The better a child understands this, the better he or she will be able to cope with overcoming this learning disability.